Your home exterior – Key to new opportunities

It feels almost too late, but considering the Dutch weather, it is still the perfect time to take care of the outside of the house, the entrance and garden. And that’s exactly what I did last weekend myself!

But why is it so important (and exciting at the same time) to fix up the outside? Isn’t Home Staging as well as Feng Shui all about the interior of a house? Well, the short answer is NO!

Clearing the clutter and dirt outside the house is at least as important as inside as otherwise stagnant, negative energy is gathering just in front of your doorstep; just waiting to enter the home whenever you open the door.

This is a bad omen from the get-go and only stimulates bad moods, conflicts, sleeping problems and other unpleasant issues. I am sure you want to avoid this as much as I do!

So, I reminded myself about this and followed the rule! I started with the rather annoying part of cleaning up and sorting the outside before tackling the more exciting part – the planting and decorating! But well, this is part of life, just accept it, roll up the sleeves and dig in! It is actually a mental exercise as much as it is a physical one. Time to let your thoughts come and go, breathe some more or less fresh air and move around while picking up trash, sweeping the terrace and carrying garden furniture around for new placement.

There were A LOT of dry leaves from the winter in the corners and underneath bushes which grew wild during the cold months. Also the weeds were growing in every corner and the wind has blown trash and sand from the neighbourhood into our front yard. It was definitely time to clean up!

Always remember: The first impression counts! And that is applicable for Home Staging as well as Feng Shui! A clean and inviting impression brings good energy and intentions, more viewers for a home that is on sale and increases the potential for nice gatherings and a good closure when selling.

But easier said than done. As a homeowner and occupant of a house, whether it is an apartment, a one-family-row house or a villa, we get so used to our surrounding, the look and feel, that it is not so easy to decide on tasks and prioritise them. So I thought a short checklist might be helpful:

Collecttrash and whatever items you collected around the house to either throw them away or store them properly.

Broken items like flower pots should be thrown away, but a broken bike might be something you want to fix or donate instead. Make it happen rather than collecting more junk (it’s also good for the karma).

Remove weeds growing in-between tiles and in the garden area.

If you have a problem with ants or other insects (we are fighting an invasion of ants ourselves), make sure you remove them somehow. After trying all kind of natural ways to make them move, there was no other choice than using poison as I kept finding them especially the kitchen. (Any alternative tip is welcome though!)

Cut back trees and bushes that cover windows, entrances and parking areas. Don’t overdue it though; they just need a trim to avoid that stagnant energy starts accumulating in those overgrown, covered areas. And besides that, it looks much nicer if it does appear overwhelmingly wild and everything is visible and accessible.

Take a broom and clean the driveway and entrance area outside the home, the terrace and balconies. Are they green after the winter months? Consider using a high pressure cleaner. Maybe you can borrow one from a neighbour? (Have you heard of Peerby? An app enabling neighbors to easily lend/borrow equipment to each other – and for free too).

And if you live in an apartment without your very own entry or balcony, you can still apply most of this and clean around your entrance door. Remove collected shoes, furniture and bikes; basically all the stuff collected in public hallways. It makes a bad first impression, might bother your neighbour and create tension! But also on the street level can you do a lot yourself to create that nice and clean look to attract good vibes in your surrounding!

So much for the clean-up today; I know this is a lot to tackle and therefore leave the nicer and more exciting part about furniture placement, planting and decorating for the next blog. (Yes, I promise I won’t take that much time again!)
That also gives you some time to be prepared! Go ahead, start cleaning up the outside of your place by following my task list and please please please, share how you felt about it before, during and/or after the exercise. I always feel so relieved once all the trash and dirt is gone!

Or do you need a neutral pair of eyes to define your tasks around the house? I am offering help with de-cluttering, cleaning and decorating your place – whether it is your home or garden and whether you want to increase the atmosphere and appearance for your own wellbeing or for better selling. Simply give me a call, drop me an email or comment on this blog and I will get back to you!

And please don’t be shy – share this blog with your friends too! Maybe they just need a hint to prepare for the summer season so that you can visit them for a fun BBQ evening soon?